On Wednesday, the Illinois Senate voted to punish companies that boycott Israel’s human rights abuses by requiring Illinois retirement funds to expend resources blacklisting, monitoring and withdrawing funds from such companies. The House adjourned today without calling its own identical the bill, so the focus will now be on the Senate bill.

Here’s the good news – the Senate Bill will now go to a House Committee for hearings before it goes to the whole House for a vote.

That means we have a couple weeks ahead of us to call our legislators, visit them in their district offices, call the committee members, submit witness slips, testify in Springfield and make our voices heard.

ACTION STEPS:

Call your State Senator and tell them you disapprove of their vote on SB 1761, a vote for occupation and apartheid, and against those fighting human rights abuses with First Amendment protected boycotts. Illinois should not make companies choose between being blacklisted by state pension funds and making ethical business decisions based on human rights concerns.

Set up a meeting with your Representatives and let them know why it’s important to ensure that human rights boycotts are not penalized.

Stay tuned for the next alert when these bills are assigned to committees, and be ready to act again!

These bills, along with other anti-boycott legislation in the US Congress, are being pushed because the opposition is scared of the growing movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions from Israel. Whether they like it or not, this conversation is happening.